Lee Kong Restaurant: Neighborhood Chinese Comfort Off Mahonylaan
An unfussy Paramaribo Chinese eetgelegenheid where portions are big, prices are gentle, and the wok never really stops.
Why Go
Tucked along Verlengde Mahonylaan, a short hop from the Combé Markt and the Heilige Driekoningenkerk, Lee Kong is the kind of Surinamese-Chinese spot locals know by heart and visitors stumble onto with quiet delight. It's not on the tourist trail, and that is precisely the point — this is where you eat like a Paramaribo resident on a Tuesday night.
The Experience
Suriname's Chinese-Surinamese kitchens are a genre unto themselves: a Hakka and Cantonese base translated through decades of Creole and Javanese pantries, served in generous, no-nonsense portions. Lee Kong fits squarely in that tradition. Expect a functional, well-lit dining room (or a takeaway-heavy counter), a laminated menu that stretches for pages, and a rhythm built around families collecting warm bags of food on their way home. Order at the counter or from a table, watch the wok flames flare through the pass, and settle in with a cold Parbo or a bottle of Fernandes soda while your food is fired to order.
What to Try
Start with the Surinamese-Chinese classics: bami (stir-fried egg noodles) or nasi goreng loaded with kip (chicken), garnalen (shrimp), or moksi meti ΓÇö the mixed-meat combo of roast pork, chicken, and sometimes duck that defines a good Paramaribo Chinese kitchen. Tjauw min, foe yong hai (a puffy omelette in sweet tomato sauce), and a bowl of tom yam or wonton soup round out the essentials. Ask for extra sambal and a small dish of ketjap manis on the side ΓÇö that trio of soy, chilli, and rice is the local table setting.
Insider Tip
Order to-go and eat it on the veranda of wherever you're staying. Paramaribo's Chinese restaurants shine as takeaway ΓÇö the bami and nasi actually improve during the ten-minute ride home, and portions are sized so one 'grote' (large) easily feeds two. Bring cash in SRD; card machines in this part of town are hit or miss, and small notes make the transaction smoother.
The Practical Stuff
Address: RVP2+89R, Verlengde Mahonylaan, Paramaribo. It sits in a residential pocket just off the main Mahonylaan corridor, roughly ten minutes by car from the city centre and walkable from the Combé neighbourhood. Hours aren't publicly listed — Paramaribo Chinese kitchens typically open for lunch around 11:00 and run through dinner until 21:00 or 22:00, often with a mid-afternoon lull — so call ahead if you're planning a late meal. Cash (SRD) is safest; a taxi or rental car is the easiest way in, as public transport in this stretch is limited after dark.
Pair It With
- 101 Suites Guide — A convenient Paramaribo stay for guests who want a hot, generously portioned Chinese-Surinamese dinner delivered straight back to the room.
- 88 Car Rental Suriname Guide — Grab a rental and Lee Kong becomes an easy stop on the way back from a day trip ΓÇö parking is straightforward and takeaway is quick.
- Aanansi ATV Tours Guide — After a muddy day out on the trails, a wok-fired plate of bami or moksi meti is exactly the recovery meal you want.